#1380 $1,950 Reserved
McGrath metallic brocaded silk evening gown, c.1912
I love the slender evening gowns with graceful trains from the 1910s. This one was designed by the House of McGrath in San Francisco, a high end dressmaker for the super rich—think of the Stanfords and Hearsts. The asymmetrical design and trailing train embody the languid elegance of the late Edwardian period.
As a wealthy socialite in the Gilded Age, the elegant wearer would have been knowledgeable about high fashion. In The Age of Mirth, Edith Wharton depicted the social milieu, to which she herself belonged. Our gown could have been worn by one of Wharton's fictional models, Mrs. William Astor, the grande dame of American society.
The gown is fashioned from a combination of pale aqua satin and matching silk chiffon brocaded with burnished metallic gold. Bands of metallic gold lace decorate the skirt hem and one shoulder.
The pattern of the metallic lace features mythological, bird-like creatures—see detail below. The gown is further embellished with black velvet ribbon and delicate beige application lace. Our gown is beaded around the neckline and sleeves with faux pearls and crystal beads.
The label, woven on the petersham, reads "McGrath/San Francisco."
The condition is almost excellent. Slight fabric discoloration luckily does not spoil the resplendent beauty. On close examination I noticed the discoloration, but found it much less obvious when I stepped back for the pictures.
Generous tall size: 44" bust, 29" waist, 44" hip, 16" from shoulder to waist, and 44" skirt-front length.
